Ramps has a few advantages:

- 11 amps heated bed handling
- Support for either two extruders or one extruder and a PWM fan
- Inputs for max and min endstops
- Screw terminals for all high amperage loads
- Extra outputs left over for other functions
- Resettable fuses for protection

Disadvantages:

- Not as many 12V outputs for LEDs, extruder fans, etc.

Pretty much it.

But, I'd just clarify, its actually 2 x Extruders (well, its just 5 x Drivers, doesn't care what) and 2 x Fans. If you use the RepRapDiscount Fan Extender it adds a Buffer to the Servo outputs, which lets you run 2 x 12V fans using PWM (runs on pins D4/D5 from memory).

So you can run the full dual extruder setup AND have dual seperately controllable PWM fans on them both (so you can do PLA on one, ABS on the other, with correct Fan application).

The disadvantage of not as many 12V Outputs is also more than offset by being able to just pull a feed straight off of the 12V Input - its a SwitchedMode PSU we have connected so I just ran a +/- pair off of the 11amp inputs to a small strip board where I have attached about 10 12V header pairs for use on LEDs, Constant Operation Fans, etc.

It also adds support for around 6 LCD systems at present (2 x full graphical, and a bunch of 20x5, 20x4, 16x4 and 16x2 LCD's)

Heres the fan extender: http://www.ebay.com/itm/NEW-Reprap-Ramp … 2576ba4545

Tealvince, the other thing is, its just a shield over a standard Arduino - so you can blow up inputs on the Atmel and only replace the Arduino rather than the whole board.. as well as it can bolt straight onto a Due (if you deal with the signal voltages being only 3.3v on the Due instead of 5v on the older Arduino's) - I like to think of it as future proof without having to replace the entire motherboard and I/O system (which wouldn't/doesn't need to change much)

And as per 2n2r5 and as per seen in my Beta Firmware thread - memory gets real tight on even the Atmel1284, so I'd prefer to have the 2560 and run with every firmware option and additional code segment I want without having to play a game of 'if I turn this off, it'll fit'

- 11 amps heated bed handling
- Support for either two extruders or one extruder and a PWM fan
- Inputs for max and min endstops
- Screw terminals for all high amperage loads
- Extra outputs left over for other functions
- Resettable fuses for protection
*EDIT (as pointed out by Adrian) *
- More space on the MCU for activating additional features in firmware

Disadvantages:

- Not as many 12V outputs for LEDs, extruder fans, etc.

For me the only thing I care about with ramps is the dual extruder support and ability to add a bunch of external sensors with enough space for all the code i want.

I just got my uno mega 2560 board today waiting on my ramps board from ebay seller.

You have me intrigued.  What benefits do the 2560/ramps give you?

Requires RAMPS...  I've got the two reprap discount versions

Hmm.  Ramps  boards are only $25 shipped:

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Assembled-RAMPS … 3f24d60080

Not sure if I'd want to do this yet, but...  any reason why I *would* or *wouldn't* want to switch over from my Sanguinololu?  Presume that the rest of the hardware (stepper motors, limit switches, heaters etc) are compatible and would just be a matter of configuration and tuning.  There might be some advantage if other upgrades are available for Ramps.

Could be bludgeoned into operation with a Sang,  but far easier to switch to a RAMPS. Works fine one a Solidoodle then

If you are cool with making a bridging board to get the two ribbon cables to a single connector on the sang, I *think* there is enough pins on one databank on the Atmel to get the LCD to work. Thats the PITA with the Atmel's - if you wanna run an LCD, you need to run all the data pins off of the one port group to get a refresh that works reliably inside your loop, let alone when the loop is also time sensitive

You'd also need to upgrade to a 1284 minimum on the Sang, as you need 128k to get an LCD running - the current marlin firmware chews through most of the 64k on the as shipped atmega on the Sang...

http://www.elecfreaks.com/store/smart-l … p-574.html